Legislative Bulletin

 

 

Hello all,

The National Immigration Forum's Legislative Bulletin for Friday, March
24, 2023, is now posted.

You can find the online version of the bulletin
here: [link removed]
<[link removed]>All
the best,

Alexandra 

**LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN - Friday, March 24, 2023**BILLS INTRODUCED AND
CONSIDERED <#bills-introduced-and-considered>

LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR <#legislative-floor-calendar>

UPCOMING HEARINGS AND MARKUPS <#upcoming-hearings-and-markups>

THEMES IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK <#Themes-In-Washington-This-week>

GOVERNMENT REPORTS <#government-reports>

SPOTLIGHT ON NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM RESOURCES
<#spotlight-on-national-immigration-forum-resources>

**BILLS INTRODUCED AND CONSIDERED**S.883
<[link removed]>New
Deal for New Americans Act

This bill
<[link removed]>
would create a National Office of New Americans for the White House. It
would establish a flat naturalization application fee, exempt U.S. high
school graduates from naturalization exams, and change certain exam
requirements for more senior individuals. The bill would also
appropriate funding for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) and increase the refugee admissions level to 125,000 per year,
among other reforms. The House companion, sponsored by Rep. Grace Meng
(D-New York), is H.R. 1643.
<[link removed]> 

Sponsored by Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) (1
<[link removed]>
cosponsor - 0 Republicans, 1 Democrat)

03/21/2023 Introduced in the Senate by Sen. Edward J. Markey

03/21/2023 Referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary

H.R. 1690
<[link removed]>Regional
Immigration Diplomacy and Enforcement (RIDE) Act

This bill
<[link removed]>
would authorize the Secretary of State to negotiate agreements with
countries of the Western Hemisphere regarding asylum and regional
immigration enforcement.

Sponsored by Rep. Michael T. McCaul (R-Texas) (0
<[link removed]>
cosponsors)

03/22/2023 Introduced in the House by Rep. Michael T. McCaul

03/22/2023 Referred to the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and on
the Judiciary

H.R.1698
<[link removed]>American
Families United Act

This bill would provide greater access to existing waivers for spouses
and children of U.S. citizens who are inadmissible.

Sponsored by Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) (16
<[link removed]>
cosponsors - 1 Republican, 15 Democrats)

03/22/2023 Introduced in the House by Rep. Veronica Escobar

03/22/2023 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary

H.R.1701
<[link removed]>Higher
Education Dream Act

This bill
<[link removed]>
would bar institutions with federal funding from refusing to admit,
enroll, or give in-state tuition to students based on their immigration
status. It would also expand federal financial aid to Dreamers.

Sponsored by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) (5
<[link removed]>
cosponsors - 0 Republicans, 5 Democrats)

03/22/2023 Introduced in the House by Rep. Ruben Gallego

03/22/2023 Referred to the House Committees on Education and the
Workforce and on the Judiciary 

H.R.1760
<[link removed]>To
extend the admission to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands for certain nonimmigrant H-2B workers

Sponsored by Del. James C. Moylan (R-Guam) (0
<[link removed]>
cosponsors)

03/23/2023 Introduced in the House by Del. James C. Moylan

03/23/2023 Referred to the House Committees on Natural Resources and on
the Judiciary

**LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR**The U.S. Senate will be in session from
Monday, March 27, through Friday, March 31, 2023.

The U.S. House of Representatives will be in session from Monday, March
27 through Thursday, March 30, 2023. 

**UPCOMING HEARINGS AND MARKUPS****Budget Hearing - Fiscal Year 2024
Request for the Department of Health and Human Services**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. ET (House Appropriations
Committee)

**Location:** 2358C Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses:**

**The Honorable Xavier Becerra,** Secretary, Department of Health and
Human Services

**Biden's Growing Border Crisis: Death, Drugs, and Disorder on the
Northern Border**

****
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. ET (House Homeland
Security Committee)

**Location:** 310 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses: **

**The Honorable Claudia Tenney,** Member of Congress

**The Honorable Mike Kelly,**Member of Congress

**The Honorable Brian Higgins,**Member of Congress

**The Honorable Pete Stauber,** Member of Congress

**Mr. Brandon Judd,** President, National Border Patrol Council

**Mr. Robert Quinn,** Commissioner, Department of Safety, State of New
Hampshire

**Dr. Laura Dawson,** Executive Director, Future Borders Coalition

**The Honorable Andrew Arthur,** Resident Fellow in Law and Policy,
Center for Immigration Studies

**An oversight hearing to examine the Department of Homeland Security**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. ET (Senate Judiciary
Committee)

**Location:** 216 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses:**TBA

**Hearing on President Biden's Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request with
Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. ET (House Ways and Means
Committee)

**Location:** 1100 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses:**

**The Honorable Xavier Becerra,** Secretary, Department of Health and
Human Services

**A Review of the President's Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Request for the
U.S. Department of Justice**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. ET (Senate Committee on
Appropriations)

**Location:** Dirksen Senate Office Building 192, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses: **

**The Honorable Merrick Garland,**Attorney General, U.S. Department of
Justice

**Budget Hearing - Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Department of
Justice**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. ET (House Appropriations
Committee)

**Location:** 2359 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses: **

**The Honorable Merrick Garland,**Attorney General, U.S. Department of
Justice

**Budget Hearing - Fiscal Year 2024 Request for the Department of
Homeland Security**
<[link removed]>

**Date:**Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. ET (House
Appropriations Committee)

**Location:** 2362-A Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

**Witnesses: **

**The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas,**Secretary, Department of Homeland
Security

**THEMES IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK**

****Federal ****

**Border Encounter Numbers Remain Relatively Stable in February**

** **On March 15, U.S. Customs and Border Protection released
enforcement numbers
<[link removed]>
for February 2023 that showed sustained decreases in irregular border
crossings amid the Biden administration's recent reliance on
country-specific parole programs, the CBP One mobile application, and an
expansion of its Title 42 policy.

Last month, U.S. Border Patrol recorded 128,877 migrant encounters
between ports of entry at the U.S.-Mexico border - the lowest number
since February 2021. About a quarter of those encounters were with
people who had previously tried to cross into the U.S. during the last
year, as migrants who have been quickly expelled to Mexico under Title
42 are often making repeat attempts to reach safety and opportunity
stateside. 

Meanwhile, nearly 23,000 Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans
were able to access the Biden administration's parole processes for
those four nationalities in February, slightly under the 30,000 monthly
cap
<[link removed]>
for the new programs. Through CBP One, more than 20,000 people were able
to secure Title 42 exceptions last month, despite reports of widespread
confusion
<[link removed]>
and frustration
<[link removed]>
with the app.

CBP's data release comes even as officials warn of a potential bump in
large-scale migration at the U.S.'s southwest boundary on and after
May 11, when the Title 42 public health order is expected to expire. But
while monthly border numbers may temporarily increase later this year,
the end of Title 42 processing will likely discourage repeat crossings
long-term. 

On a similar note, a Wall Street Journal article from March 16
<[link removed]>
also presaged a forthcoming uptick in vulnerable migrants arriving at
the U.S.-Mexico border, given record levels of travelers - almost
50,000 people - coming through the Darien Gap jungle during the first
two months of 2023. 

Those making the dangerous trek through the rainforest between Panama
and Colombia are ultimately destined for the U.S., the Journal reports.
Thousands are from China, as more regular pathways such as nonimmigrant
visas and commercial air travel to the U.S. have become harder to come
by for Chinese nationals since the Covid-19 pandemic. 

**Report: U.S. Needs Immigration Reform to Avoid Harm to Economy **A
recent report
<[link removed]>
by the Biden administration's top economic advisers says that boosting
immigration and public spending on childcare, among other suggestions,
could help reduce or prevent oncoming harm to the country's economic
growth. 

The annual report by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) describes
the aging U.S. workforce and a decline in labor force participation that
has created a significant decrease in the U.S. labor supply. 

The report acknowledges that while the Covid-19 pandemic was responsible
for certain effects on the U.S. labor market, current hiring challenges
cannot be primarily attributed to that. Instead, the report notes that
the principal cause of a tight labor supply is demographic change. 

According to the CEA, the labor supply and U.S. economy will continue to
be impacted unless efforts are put in place to counter these effects,
including increasing immigration flows and legalizing the status of
those already in the country without work authorization. 

The report adds that immigrants and their descendants will make up the
"vast majority" of the growth in working age people and "offset the
aging demographics [...] without a big impact on the wages and
employment of the existing population."

**DHS Debuts 'Operation Blue Lotus' to Crack Down on Fentanyl
Trafficking **On March 13, the Biden administration launched
<[link removed]>
"Operation Blue Lotus" to catch illegal drugs - and especially
fentanyl - entering the U.S. along its southern border. 

The new operation incorporates more targeted inspections, using federal
officials, canine units, and advanced technology to crack down on drug
traffickers and help build criminal cases against transnational criminal
organizations. 

During its first week, Operation Blue Lotus stopped over 900 pounds of
fentanyl - along with over 700 pounds of methamphetamines, and more
than 100 pounds of cocaine - from reaching the U.S., according to a
statement
<[link removed]>
from the Department of Homeland Security. 

Statistics
<[link removed]>
show that fentanyl-related overdoses have spiked in recent years,
causing great alarm and tragedy across the country. Meanwhile, research
suggests
<[link removed]>
the vast majority of fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. is brought by
American citizens through ports of entry. 

**U.S. and Canada Update Safe Third Country Agreement Around Asylum
Seekers **According to a document
<[link removed]>
filed with the Federal Register on March 24, the United States and
Canada have decided to expand an existing agreement that allows
officials in both nations to turn back asylum seekers at their shared
land border. 

The U.S. and Canada have long had a "Safe Third Country Agreement
<[link removed]>,"
where asylum seekers from other countries who try to travel to Canada
from the U.S. or vice versa can be denied refuge and returned across the
border, with limited exceptions. But while those turnbacks used to
primarily take place at ports of entry, the new protocol
<[link removed]>
will let them occur across the U.S.'s entire northern border with
Canada, cracking down on a recent uptick of irregular crossings in both
directions. 

Over 39,000 asylum seekers crossed between ports of entry into Quebec
last year, NPR reports
<[link removed]>,
as migrants who originally set their sights on the U.S. have
increasingly been moving
<[link removed]>
onto Canada amid difficulties stateside. 

The number of migrants arriving at the U.S.'s northern border is also
reportedly on the rise
<[link removed]>,
as people with the means to do so have started flying legally to Canada
before crossing
<[link removed]>south
for a better chance at avoiding the Biden administration's Title 42
policy. 

The new rule is expected to take effect early on Saturday, May 25,
according to the Federal Register.

**GOVERNMENT REPORTS**

**U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO);****Maritime Security:
Coast Guard and CBP Efforts to Address Prior GAO Recommendations on
Asset and Workforce Needs**
<[link removed]>

**; March 23, 2023**This statement from Heather MacLeod, director of
GAO's Homeland Security and Justice team, explores Coast Guard and U.S.
Customs and Border Protection resources and challenges around maritime
security. 

**U.S. Department of State;****2022 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices;**
<[link removed]>

**March 20, 2023**The Department of State released its annual Country
Reports on Human Rights Practices, which in part underscore the
"compounding impacts of human rights violations and abuses" on
marginalized individuals who are also disproportionately affected by the
negatives of migration and other challenges.

**SPOTLIGHT ON NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM RESOURCES****Florida's
Immigration Enforcement Legislation: Five Key Concerns**
<[link removed]>This
resource provides key information about the legislative package
Republican lawmakers in Florida introduced on March 7, 2023.

**Mexico's Asylum System: Good in Theory, Insufficient in Practice**
<[link removed]>This
paper details Mexico's asylum system - its progress and deficiencies
- amid the Biden administration's proposed rule that would push
migrants to apply for asylum elsewhere, including in Mexico.

**Room to Grow: Setting Immigration Levels in a Changing America**
<[link removed]>This
National Immigration Forum paper proposes an evidenced-backed approach
to setting overall immigration levels based on addressing demographic
realities. The paper argues the country will need more immigrants in
order to continue to thrive and beat back the looming ill effects of
demographic decline.

* * * *This Bulletin is not intended to be comprehensive. Please contact
Alexandra Villarreal, Policy and Advocacy Associate at the National
Immigration Forum, with comments and suggestions of additional items to
be included. Alexandra can be reached at
[email protected]. Thank you.

 

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